


We Raise Darkness

by coldflashwavebaby



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Blackest Night, Dark, Demons, Depression, F/F, Iris West is the Green Lantern, M/M, Matchmaking, Mentioned Suicide Attempt, Multi, Past Character Death, Possession, This is still sort of canonverse, Tragedy, Warning there be angst, Widower Barry Allen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-05-23 10:41:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14932710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldflashwavebaby/pseuds/coldflashwavebaby
Summary: Two years ago, Barry lost his fiance. Now, he's in and out of depressive moods, trying to move on with his life with the help of Michael Snart and Mick Rory. But there's something lurking in the dark, reaching out to the land of the living, its hand reaching out to grab Barry...





	1. For the blood

**Author's Note:**

> Just a warning, people will die in this story. Len is dead and isn't coming back to life, though he will be in the story. There may be other character deaths, idk. 
> 
> Also, there's a reference to suicide, which is important in the story. It's past suicide though. 
> 
> This is a dark story. FYI.

Mick was awoken by someone buzzing the intercom of his room. The first time he’d been woken in the middle of the night like this, over a year ago, he’d been pissed. It took Sara, Gideon, Amaya, and a cattle prod to get him out of bed so that he could take the call from Central City, 2020. 

 

It was Michael Snart. It was  _ always  _ Michael Snart, calling because Barry needed him. 

 

The last two years had been difficult on Barry, to say the least. It was hard on all of them--Michael lost his father, Mick lost his best friend, Lisa lost her brother, but Barry lost a fiance, a soulmate, the potential of a life. 

 

And, if that weren’t enough, the guilt that he was the one who caused it all. If he hadn’t pushed Len to be a hero in the first place, he wouldn’t have died at the Oculus. He wouldn’t have come back and reunited with everyone to get their hopes back up, only for them all to find out that something in his resurrection went wrong. 

 

Hunter called it ‘Time Sickness’--when a human is exposed to more time energy than their body can take, and they start aging rapidly. It was a terrible thing to get, but a worse thing to watch, someone aging to death.

 

Mick had to say, though, Barry Allen stayed with him. He moved in with Len, Lisa, and a then-twelve-year-old Michael, recently taken in after his mother passed. He cared for Michael, helped him with his homework, walked him to school, cooked dinner at night, sat up with him when he had nightmares about his mom’s death. Then, he cared for Len, in any way he could.

 

He was even there when Len died, though he wouldn’t let Lisa or Michael see him. Len didn’t want it--he didn’t want them to remember him the way he went out. 

 

So, yeah, when Michael called to say that his stepfather--because Barry was a parent to him, even now at sixteen, two years after his dad died and four years after meeting Barry--needed Mick, that he was having one of his dark days, Mick would hop in the jumpship and go, without question. 

 

Mick was the only one Barry would speak to sometimes when he became depressed. Iris wasn’t around much since she was chosen by the Green Lantern Corps and was off planet most of the time. Young West was usually covering for The Flash’s absence. Ramon was at home with his and Snow’s kid, while she came by to wait with Michael and comfort him. 

 

Detective West tried, in the beginning, but more often than not, his presence was unwelcome, and he left feeling he did more harm than good. Barry would apologize after, and West would forgive him and invite him, Michael, and Lisa over for dinner. The detective was compassionate, like that. If only he’d been that way when Len was alive. 

Mick wasn’t one to dwell on the past, though. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to crawl out of bed in the morning. No, he pushed it all away, vented to his six-pack of beer, and carried on through time with Legends. 

 

Except when he was called. 

 

“Michael?” he called out, knowing Gideon would automatically answer it once he was awake. 

 

There was static for a second.  _ “Yeah...sorry to bug you, Uncle Mick.” _

 

Mick shook his head, even though the kid couldn’t see. “Ain’t no bother. Red in a bad place again?”

 

_ “Definitely getting there,”  _ Michael answered with a sigh.  _ “You know, the anniversary is coming up, and I caught him flipping through pictures a couple of times…” _

 

“Say no more.” Mick kicked his legs off the bed and stretched. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

 

_ “Right. Thanks, Uncle Mick. Oh!”  _ The teen suddenly exclaimed.  _ “Iris told me to tell you--bring Sara and Ray with you this time. She found something and she isn’t sure what to make of it.” _

 

Mick frowned. He understood Sara--after all, she was always looking for an excuse to see her girlfriend--but Ray? What could Iris need help from him about? “Sure thing, kid. We’ll be there.”

 

_ “See ya then!” _

 

The line cut off, and Mick couldn’t help but wonder what kind on Lantern shit was being stirred now. 

 

* * *

 

 

There was a nook in the window of what was once Len and Barry’s room. It looked out over the park across the street, where Michael used to play after school. It was raining now. There were no kids on the slides or swings now, but Barry still stared out at the playground morosely. 

 

He was numb, heavy. He was tired, but couldn’t sleep. He was hungry but didn’t feel like eating. His limbs itched to do something,  _ anything _ , but he couldn’t muster the energy to even look away from the window. 

 

A knock echoed at his door. He wanted to say ‘come in’, but instead, he could only hum. The door opened, and footsteps crossed the room. If it was Iris, she’d sit on the bed and talk to him. If it was Mick, he’d take a seat across from him and stare at him.

 

His visitor did neither. Instead, he crawled onto the nook with Barry, curled up beside him, and rested his head on his shoulder.

 

Michael. 

 

Michael had been the greatest comfort for Barry--his foothold in the world after he lost Len. He knew that Michael had no one, and he needed Barry to pull himself together, the way Len would want him to. Michael became like a son to him--brightening his dreariest days, and making him realize that maybe it wasn’t all bad. 

 

He started to hum their favorite song, finding enough energy to run his fingers over Michael’s hair. 

 

_ “Love doesn’t come in a minute…”  _ Michael sang along, his voice barely above a whisper.  _ “Sometimes it doesn’t come at all. _ _ I only know that when I'm in it, It isn't silly. Love isn't silly, _

_ Love isn't silly at all.” _

 

Barry wanted to smile, but he just wasn’t there yet. Michael helped, though. He always helped. 

 

“You called Mick, didn’t you?” he asked after a few minutes. 

 

Michael nodded. Barry sighed. “It’s not that bad this time, Mikey. I promise.”

 

Michael didn’t say anything. Instead, he ran his fingers along the inside of Barry’s wrist, tracing the invisible scars the Speed Force already wiped away. It would never come to that again. 

 

Never again. 

 

“I’m okay, Little Bit,” he assured, pressing a kiss to his son’s head. “I just...I dreamt about him last night.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“I was standing in the dark, alone. Then, he appeared in front of me, the way he looked when we first met. He held out a hand to me and asked me to go with him. He wanted us to be together forever.”

 

Michael turned his face to Barry. “What did you do?”

 

Barry sighed. “I almost went with him. I thought about it.” He took Michael’s hand and squeezed. “But then, I remembered there are people here that need me--you, Lisa, Iris, Wally, Cisco and Caitlin…”

 

“Uncle Mick?” There was a mischievous twinkle in Michael’s eye that was almost identical to his father’s, and Barry nudged him with his knee. 

 

“Yes, Mick. Not for the reasons you think, though. Don’t think you’re subtle--I know what’s going on in that sneaky head of yours.”

 

Michael smiled. “I just want you to be happy, Barry. You know he would want that, too.”

 

“I know,” Barry replied. “I don’t know if I’m ready to move on, though. What if…?” He didn’t finish the sentence, but Michael nodded. 

 

“What if you lose them? I don’t know. I just want you to be happy…”

 

“I  _ am  _ happy, Mikey.” He hugged his son tight. “I have you. Lisa stops by. I have a job, a family, friends. I have the Flash, sometimes. And I have the good times. And they make the bad times hurt a little bit less.”

 

They sat there in silence, listening to the pitter patter of the rain. Michael had a special way of breaking through to him, getting him up and out, even when he didn’t feel like it before. His depression would never go away, but having someone to watch out for made it easier. 

 

Once the rain stopped, Barry patted Michael’s side. “Alright. Since you called your Uncle Mick, we should go downstairs and start dinner. What do you want?”

 

“Pizza.”

 

Barry smiled. “Pizza? With homemade sauce?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Okay.” They untangled themselves and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The house that Len had bought for them, back when there was a future for them, was like a small mansion. There were ten bedrooms in the house--Barry and Len had talked about fostering or adopting kids after getting married or letting some of the Legends stay when they were in town. Now, most of them were empty. Barry and Michael stayed in one wing of the house, their rooms next door each other so they could keep an ear out for one another.

 

When Lisa came to stay, she would stay on the other side of the house. She avoided being around Barry more than she needed to be ever since Len’s death. She hadn’t forgiven him yet for keeping her away from her brother in his final days. Barry didn’t have the heart to tell her that it was Len’s choice, not his. He’d rather her hate him than ruin her memory of her brother. 

 

The sauce was simmering on the stove beside where Barry was cooking the meat for Mick’s pizza when the doorbell rang. Michael looked up from where he was rolling out the dough. 

 

“Uncle Mick’s here.” 

 

“I heard,” Barry chuckled. “Why don’t you go answer the door while I finish the meat?” 

 

Michael hurried to the door, and Barry laughed when he heard loud exclamations from his son and Mick at the door. Heavy bootsteps approached the kitchen, followed by a breathy laugh. 

 

Barry looked over his shoulder at the pyro leaning in the doorway, a six-pack in hand, watching him with a grin. He raised an eyebrow. “Not what you pictured when Michael called you?”

 

Mick shrugged. “Didn’t know what to expect. Thought I’d prepare for worst.” He held up the beers, and Barry shook his head playfully. 

 

“Why is your solution to depression always beer?”

 

“Alcoholism and a slew of bad choices from my childhood,” Mick answered without missing a beat, stepping into the kitchen and sitting the beers on the counter. “I sent Michael to wash up. Thought I’d help you with the rest of dinner.”

 

“Thanks.” Barry was truly grateful for all that Mick had done for him and Michael over the past few years. Most of it came from guilt, he was sure. Mick blamed himself for Len blowing himself up with the Oculus, which is what ultimately caused his time sickness. As much as he protested, Mick was an honorable man--he watched out for those Len loved after his death, even though he didn’t have to. 

 

He and Barry finished the pizzas in comfortable silence until finally dinner was in the oven and they could both relax on the couch with beers until they were ready. 

 

“So…” Mick said. “The anniversary’s coming.” 

 

Barry nodded. “Yeah. Three years next week. Then, next month, Michael turns seventeen. Then, it’s college talk and graduation next year…”

 

“You don’t have to worry about all that shit now,” Mick pointed out. “One thing at a time--what are you doing the anniversary?” 

 

Barry shrugged. “Thought about picking up an extra shift at work to keep my mind off of it. Singh’s been using kid gloves on me, though. I think Joe and Cecile have been telling him about my...episodes.”

 

He knew they were just worried about him, but it wasn’t their place to tell anyone. 

 

“Fuck that,” Mick snorted. “You need to do something you like, not fucking work.”

 

“Like?”

 

“Take Mikey out to dinner? Go to that science...thing you like?”

 

“The planetarium?”

 

“Whatever. Do something that’ll make you happy, not just keep your head busy.”

 

“Michael’s doing drama practice that day,” Barry said.

 

“Damn, then I’ll go.” Barry wasn’t sure how happy Mick seemed at the offer, but he could see a little bit of nervousness in his eyes. Like he was scared Barry would say no. 

 

“Sure, if you’d like,” he replied. “I don’t know how much fun you’ll have, but if you really don’t want me going alone…”

 

Mick just grunted and downed his beer, and suddenly, Barry realized why Michael was taking so long washing up for dinner. 

 

He shook his head and sighed. As scheming as his father.

 

* * *

 

 

Something stirred in the dark. The Realm of the Dead usually was silent, but now screamed with new power. Something had awakened him. Something... _ powerful _ . He could feel it bleeding into him, invigoring his limbs with strength. 

 

The shackles around his wrists and ankles clanked, lighting up green whenever he shifted. The Guardians...those traitors of existence, of balance. 

  
It wouldn’t matter soon, though. His disciple would soon be chosen. His link would be formed. His servants had already started sowing the seeds. Now, it was time for Lord of the Unliving to rise. 


	2. For the rust

Sara dropped Mick off in front of the Snart-Allen door before taking off in the jumpship towards STAR Labs. Mick would probably be staying the night, like usual, in either one of the rooms or on the couch. Honestly, he was so gone on them and the thought of caring for Snart’s family that Sara didn’t understand why he didn’t just make his move on Barry already. 

 

Or maybe she did. Barry was constantly hurting from what happened, never talked about it, and clung so tightly to Michael she was sure the kid thought he was his lifeline. Maybe Mick was right to just keep it platonic, at least for now. Maybe that’s what Barry and Michael needed. 

 

“Did Gideon say why Iris wanted me to come?” Ray spoke up, pulling Sara from her thoughts. She shook her head. 

 

“Nope. Just that she found something that needed lookin’ at. Probably something alien though.”

 

“I sure hope so.” He sounded like a kid at Christmas. “There’s some amazing tech out there I’d love to get my hands on.”

 

Ray had a way of bringing childlike wonder to everything. Even when Snart first got sick, he’d been a bit excited about the idea of a time disease. That is, until Rip told them it was fatal, and there was no cure. They’d all wanted to be there for the Snart-Allen family, but Mick told them, in so few words, to keep their distance. They were going through enough without an audience. 

 

That’s really how Sara and Iris grew close. Since the Snart-Allen house was off-limits most of the time, her news came from Barry’s best friend/foster sister. She was kept in the loop better than anyone else, even when she was off in space (Barry was the only one at the time she’d given a communicator to so she could stay updated). Sara loved Iris West almost instantly. Had she been the romantic type, she may have dropped to one knee, recited poetry, and asked her to marry her right there the first time she saw Iris take down a manhunter twice her size. 

 

Sometimes, she still didn’t believe how lucky she was. Others, she realized the price--between the Lantern Corps and the Legends, they rarely got time to see each other. Usually, they had to make up some kind of emergency where the Legends needed a team up or some Lantern advice. At first, she’d thought that’s what this was until Gideon said that Iris specifically requested Ray. Either she was going to suggest something kinky, or this was an honest to God work visit. 

 

That was scary. When Iris needed help for Lantern business, it almost always was. 

 

They parked the jumpship on the roof of STAR Labs, where Cisco, Iris, and Wally were waiting. The second Sara stepped out of the ship, Iris strode forward to kiss her. Sara grinned against her lips. 

“Hey, babe. Miss me so bad you needed to find a problem to get me here?”

 

Iris laughed. “I did miss you, but I actually called because we found something we need Ray to look at.”

 

Ray frowned. “Me? Why? What is it?”

 

Iris glanced back at Cisco, who shifted nervously. She sighed. “We don’t know.” 

 

\----------

 

William Hand was a rich, successful man. He had cars, houses, wads of cash he kept in his pockets in case he needed pocket change. Anyone on the planet would want him--men, women, young, old. He was an attractive bachelor, and that was his life. 

 

On the outside, at least. 

 

Inside, he was screaming.

 

He hated the fake smile he’d had to perfect growing up, back when he was in and out of psychotherapy because he made the other children ‘uncomfortable’. 

He hated his three brothers, who treated him like was lesser than him when in reality, he was superior in every way.  

 

He hated his parents, who said they loved him, but always shifted nervously when he was around and refused him the same level of attention as they gave his brothers. 

 

And, worst of all, he hated  _ people.  _ The world was so small, full of small people, with small perceptions and limitations. People were nothing to him. 

 

He was  _ chosen _ . 

 

When he first heard the voice, he thought maybe he was going crazy. It was when he was a child, young and lying in bed, alone in an empty house while his family was at some gala. The voice echoed in his head, whispering all of his desires, and for the first time in his life, William knew he wasn’t alone. 

 

His master was a constant presence for the rest of his life, advising his secret rise through the criminal underworld as Black Hand while he navigated the duties of being public figure--the heir to the Hand family. 

 

_ William… _

 

He stood stock still, waiting for his master’s new orders. Recently, his voice was clearer, louder. He spoke of a spark awakening him, the need of an anchor on Earth. For now, though, he needed William to sow the seeds of his ascension. 

 

_ The divining rod… _

 

William didn’t understand what his master was speaking of, but he knew that he would be told so long as he was patient. 

 

_ Go to STAR Labs...the Lantern holds the power granted to you… _

 

Lanterns. He knew all about them. He’d tried to face the Green Lantern of Central before once, as his alter-ego Black Hand, but she was formidable. This time, his lord was on his side. 

 

“How do I stop her?”

 

_ Love is her weakness more than fear… _

 

There was a young man he’d seen the Lantern with more than once. Young, brown hair, worked for the police. He was cute, in a ‘lost sheep’ way. But he was sad, even when he smiled. William always felt a pull towards him, like maybe he was someone who understood. There were people who loved him, though--a teenager who was almost always at his side, one of the older police detectives, Heatwave, and of course, the Lantern. She loved him. 

 

A pain flared in his head, strong and burning like a fire. He doubled over, cradling his head in his hands.

 

_ STAY AWAY FROM BARRY ALLEN. His purpose goes FAR greater than yours.  _

 

William nodded, unable to speak. Then, the pain was gone. He sighed with relief. 

 

An image appeared in his head. A beauty--blonde, freckled, dangerous. She kissed the Lantern on the lips and wrapped a protective hand around her waist. The Lantern had a weakness, one he could exploit. 

 

\----------

 

“That was fucking fantastic,” Mick growled, stretching his arms as Barry started clearing away the plates. The speedster backhanded his shoulder. 

 

“Language,” he warned playfully. “There’s a child.”

 

Michael rolled his eyes. “I’m seventeen, Barry. I’ve heard worse.”

“Not in this house, you haven’t.” He knew that Mick was laughing and making faces behind his back, but Barry ignored it in favor of carrying the plates into the kitchen. He dropped them in the sink and sighed. He’d rather just wash them later. 

 

“Here.” Arms reached around him, and Barry jumped. He hadn’t even heard Mick follow him from the dining room. “Let me help you out.”

 

“It’s fine, Mick,” Barry assured. “I can do it.”

 

But Mick wouldn’t take no for an answer. “You cooked, I’ll clean up. It’s what a good guest would do, if you listen to Haircut.”

 

“And when was the last time you listened to Ray?”

 

Mick shrugged and started scrubbing away at the plates, his arms still caging Barry against the counter. Barry tried not to blush. Mick acted like it was completely normal, though, as he rinsed the soap off one plate and put it in the drain. 

 

“How’ve you been?” Mick asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Really?”

 

A phantom sting burned through his wrists. He shook away the memory. Mick didn’t know about that… _ no one did.  _ Only Michael, and that’s because he was the one who found him, who saved him, who gave him a reason to keep going. He didn’t need to worry anyone about something that would never happen again. “I’m okay, Mick. I swear. I’ve been in and out of a dark place--sometimes worse than others--but I really think...I think it’s getting better. I still have my days, but Len...he would want me to fight it, to carry on.”

 

He glanced over his shoulder at Mick, whose eyes were focused on the soapy dishwater in front of them. Suddenly, his hand slipped to Barry’s, and their fingers twined together. “He’s not the only one. I don’t know what I do if something happened to you or Mikey.” His voice was blank, but somehow it held the heaviest emotions he’d ever heard Mick express. “I need you. Both of you. You’re all I have left, too.” 

 

Barry’s breath caught in his throat. He’d always regretted Mick’s role in the events around Len’s death. He hadn’t been around as much as any of them had wanted, thanks to the new Legion of Doom trying to destroy time and become gods or something, which the Legends had to stop. He’d dropped in as often as he could, and was the only person besides Barry who Len let see him right before the end. Barry didn’t know what Len had told Mick in that moment, but he could guess that it was something about taking care of him and Michael. He’d wondered, in the first year when Mick started stopping by, if maybe that was the reason. Now, though…

 

“I need you, too, Mick,” he replied, turning to face him. Their faces were so close, all it would take… 

He cleared his throat. “I mean,  _ we  _ need you. When you’re here, it’s like things are making sense again.” 

 

He gave a soft smile, and Mick moved his hands from the sink, grabbing Barry’s instead. “You and Michael deserve happiness, after all you’ve been through.” 

 

It was one of those rare moments where the mask of the crazy, homicidal pyro lifted, revealing the kind, caring Mick that helped raise Lisa, that helped Barry raise Michael. 

 

Barry leaned forward and tucked his head against Mick’s shoulder. The firm muscle under his head was a warm comfort. “I’ve been dreaming about him.”

 

Mick hummed, his arms wrapping around Barry. “Still seeing the shrink?”

 

Barry chuckled at Mick’s bluntness. “Every week. She says that I’m lucky to have such a strong support system after everything I’ve been through. I agreed.”

 

Anything could’ve happened then--Barry could’ve kissed Mick, could’ve taken him by the hand and led him upstairs, could’ve spent the entire night in a shower of love and affection he knew that Mick would give him. He knew they’d both thought about it, and Mick was just waiting for him. 

 

He never made the move. And he wouldn’t tonight. 

 

For some reason, it felt like a betrayal to Len’s memory, loving another man in the house he’d bought for them, in their room, especially with Len’s best friend. As crazy as it was, Barry couldn’t bring himself to move past that feeling. 

 

So, he pulled away like he did every night. He pressed a kiss to Mick’s cheek, and they both moved into the living room, where they’d watch TV until Barry passed out on the couch and Mick carried him up to his room, only to then go lay down in the guest bedroom down the hall. 

 

\-------

 

When Sara stepped into the cortex, she didn’t know what to be expecting. Maybe some alien Rosetta stone or a doomsday machine. She didn’t expect to see Harrison Wells poking at a golden rod about the size of her forearm. It sat on a podium in the center of the room, but Sara could feel the energy pouring out of it from where she stood in the doorway. 

 

“What is that thing?” 

 

Iris and Cisco shared a look. “We...don’t really know,” the latter admitted. “It crashed in a field outside of the city. Iris went to investigate, and…”

 

“It drained my ring.” Sara’s eyes widened. Lantern rings were powerful things. To find something that could drain it without trying...  Iris nodded. “Yeah. That’s why Cisco brought it here. It’s dangerous, but we don’t really know how yet. We were hoping that Ray could take a look at it with Harry and Cisco, maybe see if they can figure out how it works?”

 

Ray nodded enthusiastically, already moving towards the device. “Do you know if its alien? Or is it some kind of man-made military device? Have you found out what alloys are used in it?”

 

Harry and Cisco both joined in with questions and theories, which Sara took as her cue to lead her girlfriend into the hallway. Iris gave her that beautiful, flirty smile that always stole Sara’s breath. 

 

“How’s time travel?” 

 

“Quiet, actually,” Sara admitted. “We’ve been taking out some aberrations and anachronisms here and there, fought some time pirates, but everything’s been almost eerily quiet.”

 

“Same with space. It’s like the whole universe is holding its breath.”

 

“Like everyone’s waiting for something.”

 

Iris frowned. “Waiting for what, you think?” 

 

Sara shrugged. She wished she knew. It would be so much easier to stop big bads before they started their master plans, but unfortunately, things rarely happened that way. “Have you heard from Barry recently?” she asked, deciding to change the subject. 

 

Iris nodded. “We had dinner a couple of nights ago. You know my dad adores Michael, and they were having a bonding day, so Barry and I went to that new restaurant downtown.”

 

“The anniversary is coming up, y’know.” The day that Leonard Snart died. Truly, irreversibly died. It’d been years, and Sara still couldn’t believe it. Once he’d come back the first time, she was convinced that it would take an act of God himself to finally put the thief down again. That’s what seemed to happen though--time itself decided to reverse its mistake and take back what was stolen--the unlived years of Leonard Snart’s life. God, she did not envy what Barry was going through, and the way Mick stepped up made her respect him in new ways she’d never expected. 

 

Iris sighed. “I wish he’d let us help him through this. I know he has Michael and Mick, and he goes to see Dr. Finkel, but I wish he’d talk to me or my dad about it, maybe even try to move on.”

 

Sara agreed. At least it wasn’t like the first few months after Leonard died. Sara was positive back then that Barry was just going to give up and self-destruct. His appearance went down, he barely left the house, the only person he ever saw was Michael--he even turned Mick away, back then. Then, six months later, he picked himself up, dusted himself off, and pushed himself to get better. She was proud of him in ways he could never understand. 

 

She took her girlfriend by the hand and smiled. “Everyone grieves differently, babe. He’s looking better than I’ve seen him in a long time. He’ll come to you when he’s ready.”

 

“I know.” Iris twisted her lips in frustration, before sighing deeply. “So, enough about Barry. I want to hear about all the amazing adventures my beautiful girlfriend has had while I was off in intergalactic meetings and dealing with space bullshit.”

 

Sara laughed and began telling her about their last mission that involved a samurai, William Shakespeare, and Nate Heywood gaining a new respect for corsets. 

 

\----------

 

He watched Barry Allen and Mick Rory, curled on the couch together. Barry’s eyes were closed, his body relaxed as he slept against Mick’s side. Mick seemed content, happy with the entire situation. The observer knew that, most nights, Mick would take Barry upstairs, but that didn’t seem the case tonight. 

 

Instead, the pyro’s gaze lingered longingly over Barry, though not in a lustful way. There was something rare behind the stare, something soft and wanting, loving and pining. He didn’t just want Barry, he wanted  _ this.  _ The family, the love, to feel like he wasn’t sitting in the place of a deadman. 

 

Deadman. The observer grinned. That wasn’t a bad name. 

 

Deadman knew something bad was coming. He could feel the plane of existence around him pulsing in a way he hadn’t felt since he woke up here. 

 

How could he warn anyone? There were only a handful of people who’d believe him, and none of them were the ones he wanted to talk to. Sighing heavily, he drifted out of the mansion and towards STAR Labs. With the Cosmic Divining Rod there, it was only a matter of time before dark forces began to converge. 


	3. For death

_ Darkness.  _

 

_ A man with a black cowl, decorated with a silver V, stood in the Cortex.  _

 

_ Darkness, but not alone.  _

 

_ Iris, Ray, and Cisco all stood against him, their backs to a golden rod that teemed with power.  _

 

_ A hand reaching out from the darkness, aching not to be alone.  _

 

_ The man in black would kill them, hurt them to get to the rod. He’d done it for his master before. He enjoyed Death. He craved it. He served it.  _

 

**Barry Allen** _ , a voice whispered from the dark _ , **together....only together…**

 

_ Barry was holding Mick in his arms, who laid dead and staring blankly up at him. Barry sobbed. The man in black looked on.  _

 

**This is prophecy. This is destiny. Death follows you. Death craves you. Death will claim you as its own.**

 

\----------

 

Sara woke up curled around Iris’ back, the light sheets blanketing their naked bodies. The first night after Sara visited was always whispered confessions against skin, loving caresses, pleasured sighs, followed by desperate begging. 

 

God, Sara loved Iris, even if she hadn’t said the words yet. She still remembered Ava--kick-ass, hot, time agent Ava. The Time Bureau ruined their relationship, putting distance and rules between them that eventually put a rift in their relationship. Sara had swore off dating after that, until she connected with Iris at Barry and Len’s engagement party.  

 

They’d be together ever since in a whirlwind romance no one had expected. Sara ran the tips of her fingers down the smooth skin of Iris’ arm, huffing a laugh when Iris groaned annoyedly. 

 

“...’s too early…” she complained, swatting at her girlfriend’s hand. Usually, Sara would’ve let her sleep, but Iris’ phone had been vibrating like crazy for the last five minutes. Either someone had the wrong number and a lot of perseverance, or there was a problem. The sun wasn’t even up yet, so it was most likely the second one. 

 

Sara kissed her neck, then her jaw, then her cheek. “Your phone is buzzing like crazy. I think you need to get it.”

 

Iris moaned, but reached out blindly for her cell anyway. As she held it to her ear, she hissed out a greeting. Sara relaxed back into the pillows, hoping it was just an update of some kind and not a fight waiting to happen. 

 

Suddenly, Iris shot up out of bed. “What do you mean it’s activated? What does that even mean?”

 

There was a buzz of overlapping voices on the end, and Sara knew that Iris wouldn’t be laying back down. 

 

“I’ll be there as soon as I can...just, don’t touch it and stay away from it until I get there.”

 

She hung up the phone and jumped out of bed, grabbing her ring off the bed side table. Sara tilted her head. “What’s going on?”

 

“The thing Cisco, Ray, and Harry are studying--it activated. They said it’s pulsing and sucking in as much energy as it can. I need to get down there and see how to contain it before it does something crazy, like activate the particle accelerator or something.”

 

Sara frowned. “Could it do that?”

 

Iris shrugged, lighting her ring up so that her lantern uniform grew over her naked skin. “I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened.”

 

“You have clothes at STAR Labs, right?” Sara asked. “Just in case that thing drains your ring again?”

 

Iris’ brow wrinkled, like that thought hadn’t hit her. “Yeah, I have some sweats there.”

 

She darted over to give Sara a quick yet passionate kiss before her entire body lit up green. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?”

 

She flew out the window, like Sara wouldn’t be right behind her if she had her way. About that time, though, her phone started buzzing, Mick’s name flashing across the screen.

 

\----------

 

Mick woke up to an empty couch. At first, he shrugged it off. Barry probably just woke up in the middle of the night and went upstairs. 

 

But something unsettling sat in the pit of his stomach. He rose to his feet and wandered up the stairs as quietly as possible, up into Michael and Barry’s wing. Michael’s door was wide open--not unusual for him. He was extremely claustrophobic and constantly had night terrors about being buried alive. 

 

Barry’s door, though…

 

He kept his cracked open, just in case Michael needed him. Now, though, it was wide open and there was a strong breeze blowing through the door. Mick approached the room cautiously, unsure of what he was going to find beyond. 

 

He froze in the doorway. 

 

The window was wide open. Barry was standing on the ledge outside, stock still with his face raised to the sky. His toes were hanging over the sill, precariously dipping lower each second. Mick didn’t even think. He ran for the window full speed. 

 

“Barry, don’t!” He grabbed Barry by the waist and dragged him back inside, the pair crashing to the floor. That’s when he noticed his eyes--they were pure white, rolled up into his head. His mouth was moving, forming silent words that Mick didn’t understand. 

 

He took Barry by the hand. “Bare...Doll, wake up. You’re sleepwalking!” 

 

Barry’s mouth started moving faster, and Mick could catch a few words here and there. 

 

“Blackest night…” he breathed near silently. “...all light dies...Black Hand....the dead...rise…” 

 

Mick frowned. “Doll, I don’t understand what you’re saying. Please, wake up.”

 

Barry’s body went still, his head turning towards Mick’s voice, and for a split second, he thought that he had him, but then, Barry lunged forward and grabbed Mick’s face. 

 

“A face of metal and flesh shall return,” he hissed, his face twisted into a scowl. “Fear will rise. Willpower will gather. And a wave of light will unleash the truth behind the power of the ring…” Barry sucked in a deep breath, his eyes rolling back into place and his body relaxing into Mick’s arms. 

 

Barry moaned as he awoke, looking around, confused. “Mick?” he asked. “What happened? Why are we in the floor of my room?”

 

He didn’t have an answer. He didn’t even know what the hell just happened. What he did know was that he needed to get help.

 

—————

 

Barry clutched his cup of coffee tightly in his hands, his knees pulled to his chest and a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Sara was sitting across the dining room table from him, drinking a mug of her own. Mick was standing in the corner, arms crossed over his chest.

 

Barry couldn’t believe what had almost happened. He would’ve  _ never _ ...he promised Michael, after all. He couldn’t even remember getting off the couch or even getting pulled back into the room by Mick, but apparently, it was enough to scare the shit out of the pyro. 

 

He did remember something, though. There was a face, covered in darkness. It was reaching a hand out to him, but there was a light beside him, whispering for him to hang on. Help was coming.

 

For a second, he thought it was Len who pulled him back. He hadn’t been disappointed to see it was Mick. 

 

“What exactly did he say?” Sara asked, turning her head to stare at Mick. 

 

“Something about fear rising and a black hand, the dead rising.” 

 

Sara nodded. “Okay, that sounds like regular nightmare shit, right? Like, Zoom had black hands and he’s not totally dead. Maybe you were dreaming about that?” 

 

She turned her attention to back to Barry, who shrugged. “I don’t really remember.” 

 

Mick shifted in the corner uncomfortably. “There’s something else. I called you cuz I didn’t wanna worry Iris. He said something else right after. I think it has to do with Lantern shit.”

 

Barry and Sara both shared a frown. Mick hadn’t mentioned the Lanterns when he was telling Barry about all this. 

 

“He said something about something returning. Willpower gathering, and a light revealing something about the ‘power of the ring’. Called it Blackest Night.”

 

Barry’s eyes widened. “Like the oath… ‘Brightest day, in blackest night…’” 

 

“Someone might be targeting Iris through Barry. Making him put himself danger as a warning or threat.” 

 

Barry nodded along, even though it didn’t feel right. The presence he’d felt didn’t seem to want to hurt him. It was dangerous, no doubt, but Barry felt more like it was...lonely. It made him sad. 

 

“Barry?”

 

He snapped out of his musing. Sara and Mick were both staring at him with worry. “Barry,” Sara said, “you’ve been staring off into space for like five minutes.” 

 

He frowned. There was no way. 

 

Mick reached across the table to take his hand. “You okay, doll? Do you need to go upstairs and be with Mikey for a bit?”

 

Michael always centered Barry, always reminded him that he was home and safe. Barry didn’t need that now, though. What he really wanted was answers. 

 

“I’m fine,” he assured, taking a sip of his coffee. “I promise that the second I’m not, I will let you all know. Meanwhile, shouldn’t we call Iris about this whole ‘Lantern’ thing? It kinda feels like something she’d like to know.”

 

“Iris has a lot on her plate at the moment,” Sara sighed. “There was this thing that fell from the sky and it turned on this morning. Some kind of rod or something. She’s worried it’s gonna blow up the town again.”

 

But Barry didn’t hear anything after ‘rod’. “Is it gold? The rod?”

 

Sara startled. “Yeah, actually. Why?”

 

An image from his dream flashed through his head. Black Hand was standing in the middle of the cortex, Iris, Ray, and Cisco facing off against him. Somehow, he knew they were going to lose. There was a sickness in his gut that said Black Hand would gleefully kill them for that rod.

 

“We have to get to STAR Labs.” He jumped up from the table and flashed upstairs to change clothes, leave a note for Michael, and come back in seconds. 

 

“Why?” Sara asked, but Mick was already grabbing his heat gun from the hall closet. 

 

“They’re under attack,” Barry explained. “And if they aren’t, they’re about to be.” 

 

\----------

 

The rod was pulsing and emitting a small glow. Cisco hadn’t been exaggerating--the lights and computers in the cortex were out, the power in the halls were flickering dangerously, and there was a hum echoing around the building.  

 

Iris’ ring, luckily, still retained its power. She strode into the room, over to where Cisco and Ray were hovering in the corner.

 

“What did you do?”

 

Cisco shrugged. “We hadn’t even tested it yet. We were getting some readings on it, and it just activated itself.”

 

Ray nodded. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t even know what the material is that it’s made of.” 

 

“Or how dangerous it is,” Iris pointed out. “Do we need to evacuate the surrounding area?”

 

“No, I think it’s limited to this room for right now,” Ray answered. “If you want, I could shrink it and see if that lessens its power.” 

 

“I wouldn’t if I were you.”

 

They all turned. Black Hand was standing in the doorway of the cortex, a twisted grin on his face.

 

“Man,” Cisco groaned. “I just updated the security system.” 

Iris raised her ring. Cisco held up his hands. Ray, suitless thanks to the rod, grabbed the spare gun from under the desk. 

 

“What do you want, Hand?” Iris demanded. Her enemy sneered. 

 

“I want what is rightfully mine--what my master has sent for me.” His eyes darted back at the rod. “The Cosmic Divining Rod.” 

 

Iris cursed. On top of being a genius, Black Hand was some kind of meta, granted the power to drain life with one touch. He always gave credit to his ‘master’, some voice in his head only he could hear. Cisco thought that he was nuttier than a fruitcake. Iris didn’t care--he was a dangerous enemy, and with the ability to drain energy on the same scale as the rod, he would be almost unstoppable. 

 

“You’ll have to go through us, Hand.” 

 

A wicked grin stretched across his face. “Gladly.” 

 

Iris prepared for a fight, when a flash of lightning lit up the room. Barry, Mick, and Sara appeared between them, all of them dressed for a fight. Black Hand’s attention went from Mick, lingered on Barry, and then stayed on Sara. 

  
Iris’ fists clenched, but Sara could handle herself. Feeling better about their odds, Iris surged forward.


	4. For sanity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to raise the rating. Please ignore how badly I write smut. I tried really hard, okay?

It was a pleasure to bring down the Green Lantern and her allies. William knew he couldn’t face her without the divining rod, but the powerless had been knocked down easily. 

 

He went for Palmer first. He was a good fighter, but he was no warrior. Disarming him and knocking him unconscious was almost too easy. He fired the gun at the arsonist, who was dragged to the side by Barry Allen at the last second. 

 

Vibe put up a good fight, but William was chosen by a god. So he, too, was brought down. That left the Lantern and the Canary. The Canary was dangerous. She was well-trained, ruthless, and willing to kill for what she wanted. William could almost admire her, almost see her as a consort to his master. 

 

But, unfortunately for her, that wasn’t her destiny. Her destiny was to bring about his ascension. He had practiced something for a long time. It was a last resort, could only be used once before it drained him, but he saved it just for this moment. 

 

The Canary lunged at him again, thinking she had the upper hand. All William needed, however, was her skin. The second his flesh touched hers, the Canary went gray. She choked, gasping for air as she fell to her knees. 

 

“Sara!” the Lantern shouted, lunging for them, but William was prepared. He dragged the dying Canary to her feet and pulled her against his chest, blocking himself from any attack. 

 

“Give me the rod, and she lives. At least, for now.” 

 

The Lantern stared at her lover fearfully. “Fine, okay! Let her go!”

 

“The rod first.”

 

The Lantern sighed and turned to the stand where the rod had been sitting. The now empty stand. 

 

“No!” he hissed, dropping the Canary to the floor. He lunged at the Lantern, who was frozen in shock, and grabbed her throat. “Where is the Cosmic Divining Rod?”

 

He could see in her eyes that she didn’t know. But one scan around the room told him who probably did. Barry Allen and his arsonist were gone. 

 

\----------

 

Barry didn’t know what got into Mick. One second, he was on the ground after being tackled away from Hand’s attack. The next, it was like he was a completely different person. 

 

He jumped to his feet and ran for the rod while everyone else was distracted. Then, he bolted for the door to the lab. Barry raced after him, using his speed to get to Mick and get him out of the labs. 

 

He didn’t know where to take them, so they just ended up in his living room with a dangerous artifact from space. 

 

“Mick, what the hell?” he asked. “We still don’t know what that thing does. It could’ve killed you.” 

 

“It won’t.” He turned, and Barry realized he wasn’t talking to Mick. His friend’s eyes were milky white, like he was blind, but his focus was directly on Barry. 

 

He stumbled back. “Who are you?”

 

“I…” it looked at Mick’s hands and frowned. “I...am dead. Dead...man.”

 

It looked back at Barry with a small smile. “Haven’t….talk...long time.”

 

Barry had more questions, but the sound of footsteps coming downstairs silenced him. “Barry? Are you back?” Michael called as he approached the living room. “How’s Iri--?”

 

He froze when he stepped inside and saw Mick. “What’s going on?”

 

Mick’s eyes widened. “Mic...l…” 

 

“I think Mick is being possessed by something calling itself ‘Deadman’,” Barry explained. “He’s still getting used to talking.” 

 

Michael stepped closer to Barry ready to protect him if Deadman suddenly attacked. “Is he a friendly?”

 

Barry pursed his lips. Since he took control of Mick, the only thing Deadman had done was keep the Cosmic Divining Rod away from Black Hand. 

 

“I think so.” He nodded to the rod, still in Mick’s hand. “Do you know what that’s for?”

 

Deadman looked to the rod. “Death.”

 

\----------

 

According to Iris, who arrived about an hour later, Black Hand ran out about the time he realized the rod was gone. Sara was in the Waverider medbay, but Gideon expected her to be okay. Cisco had a broken leg, Ray’s pride was injured, but otherwise, everyone got out okay. 

 

They sat at the table with Deadman, who was still in Mick’s body, and the Cosmic Divining Rod in the center of them. Michael sat protectively close to Barry, who was now dressed in his civies.  

“What is this thing?” Iris asked first. 

 

Deadman furrowed Mick’s brow. “The Master of Death sent it for his follower. He has a plan his follower doesn’t even know. He’s awoken.”

 

“Who?” Barry asked.

 

Deadman looked to Iris. “The Black.”

 

Barry didn’t know what that meant, but Iris seemed to. She paled in fear. “No. He’s locked away in his own dimension. There’s no way out for him.”

 

“A tether,” he replied.

 

Iris shook her head. “He would need something extremely powerful to pull him out.”

 

Deadman nodded. Barry and Michael just stared, confused. “What is going on?” Barry asked. “Who’s locked away?”

 

Iris rose to her feet and sighed. “At the beginning of the universe, there were two forces--the White Light and the Black. Neither are good or evil. One is life and the other is death. When the White Light created life, the Black believed it threw existence off balance. The White Light transformed into the Emotional Spectrum, and the Black turned into Nekron, the Lord of the Unliving. Ever since then, Nekron has fought to restore balance by wiping out all life, while the Light,  _ the Guardians _ , fought to keep life.”

 

“So,” Michael said, “you think that he’s going to somehow use this thing will tether Nekron to our dimension so that he can wipe out all life in the universe?” 

 

“No,” Iris replied. “It has to be something living. The rod can’t tether him. That doesn’t mean that it’s not important to his plans, though.”

 

She raised her hand, and her lantern costume enveloped her body. “I have to go to Oa and speak to the Guardians. They may know what to do.” 

 

“What do we with this until then?” Barry asked, nodding to the divining rod. He hated it. It was like the thing was watching him, drawing him in some sickening way. He couldn’t stand to look at it anymore.

 

Iris ran into the living room, coming back with a throw pillow. 

 

“Keep it hidden,” she said, unzipping the pillow and shoving the rod inside. “Don’t tell anyone you have it. If anyone asks, Mick lost it.” 

 

Barry and Michael both nodded. 

 

“Don’t even tell Mick,” she warned, and something seized Barry’s heart. He and Mick didn’t lie to each other. “Please. It’s for yours and his safety.” 

 

Barry sighed and nodded. Michael did the same. 

 

“Okay. Be safe. I love you both.” With that, she flew out the back patio door, leaving Barry and Michael with Deadman. 

 

They all sat in awkward silence for a minute, until Michael tilted his head and frowned. “So, like, were you always like this? Or were you alive once?”

 

Deadman’s face fell into a thoughtful expression. “I...don’t remember. I know I was brought here for a reason, but I don’t know what.” 

 

Suddenly, he stiffened. “I have to go. I’m needed somewhere else.” Strangely, he reached out to touch both Barry and Michael’s hands. “Be careful. Don’t give into the dark.”

 

Before Barry could ask what he meant, the milkiness faded from Mick’s eyes, and the pyro’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

 

“What happened?” He looked around them with a frown. “Why are we home?”

 

Barry’s heart skipped a bit when he heard Mick refer to the house as his home, but there was no time for that. Instead, he grabbed the throw pillow off the table. 

 

“You took the rod to hide it, but you fell and got knocked out. I don’t know where the rod went.” It was an easy lie, but one he hated spouting. Mick groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

 

“That explains my headache. Do ya mind…?”

 

He didn’t even have to finish the sentence before two aspirin and a glass of water was set down in front of him. “Thanks, Bare. Why are you holding that pillow?” 

 

Barry looked to Michael, who cleared his throat. “Because I spilled something on it today and it got dirty. Barry was going to clean it.” 

 

“Yeah.” Barry agreed. 

 

They were such terrible liars when it came to Mick. Luckily, he was so focused on his headache, he didn’t notice their shifty smiles. 

 

“Speaking of,” he pushed the pillow into Michael’s hands, “will you take this upstairs somewhere?”

 

Michael nodded quickly and hurried away,  leaving Mick and Barry alone. Barry went to the fridge to grab a beer and set it down in front of his friend, a compassionate smile on his lips. 

 

“You feeling okay?”

 

Mick grunted. “Shouldn’t I be asking  _ you  _ that?”

 

“It’s a nice switch,” Barry joked, taking the seat closest to him. There was a bruise on his head from the fight that Barry reached up to touch. Mick hissed in pain. “Sorry...I just, it hurts that you were hurt.” 

 

He went to pull his hand away, but Mick caught it first. “I don’t wanna lose you, Barry,” he said quietly. “I thought, this morning, that you were gonna...and then, the way that douchebag looked at you back at STAR Labs. We both could’ve died. Michael could’ve been left without anyone.”

 

An image flashed through Barry’s mind, a far-off one, like from a dream. Mick, lying dead in his arms, while darkness surrounded and consumed him. He shuddered. “I know, Mick. I think about it every day. I wonder if one day, Michael will call and you won’t be there to answer. I wonder if I’ll have to bury you beside Len. I wonder if that’ll be the day I finally shatter.”

 

He turned his head away. He didn’t like talking about his fears. Saying them somehow made them feel more real. 

 

Gentle fingers touched his cheek and turned his face back so that he and Mick were staring into each other’s eyes. “Ever since Len died, I’ve been afraid that I’m stealing something from him. I think you’re afraid of losing anyone like you lost him. What if we stopped being afraid, stopped making Len a part of us, and acted on what  _ we  _ want?”

 

Barry frowned. “What brought this on?”

 

Mick shrugged. “If I lose you, I don’t want to lose the opportunity to have the family I love.” 

 

“You won’t lose us, Mick,” Barry assured. “We  _ are  _ your family. Michael and I, we love you. I don’t think either of us could’ve made it without you.”  

 

Mick smiled sadly and lowered his hand. “You could’ve. You’re the strongest person I know, going through what you did and still carrying on. You and Mikey.”

 

He pushed the chair back and rose to his feet. “I’m gonna head on. I should probably see how Sara and Haircut are doing after that fight.” 

 

He didn’t move to leave, just stared at Barry like he was asking for permission. Instead of granting it, Barry stood slowly, unsure of what he was doing, but knowing that he didn’t want Mick to leave. 

 

He couldn’t explain it, but he needed Mick. Ever since he’d found him hanging out the window, he’d felt like wet paper, ready to fall apart at the smallest touch. Then, with the rod still in his house, he felt more vulnerable than ever. He was tired of fighting, especially fighting things he  _ wanted _ . 

 

He strode right over to Mick, grabbed him by the jacket, and kissed him, deeply and desperately. It was the most alive he’d felt in a long time. He wasn’t doing something for Len, or Michael, or Iris, or anyone else. He was doing what he wanted to do, kissing who he wanted to kiss. 

 

His hands twisted into the material of Mick’s jacket as the pyro kissed back with fervor, pushing Barry backward until his back was against the kitchen counter. He tore Mick’s jacket from his shoulders, letting it drop to the floor in favor of wrapping his arms around Mick’s neck and pulling him even closer. 

 

Footsteps echoed down the stairs, only to turn back and head back up. Mick chuckled against Barry’s lips and pulled back enough to rest their foreheads together. “I think your son just locked himself in his room.” 

 

Barry laughed too, deep and real. “I’m pretty sure he approves if that’s any consolation.” 

 

“Pretty sure most everyone we know does,” Mick pointed out, sliding his hands from Barry’s hips to his lower back. “Pretty sure we have for a while .”

 

Barry blew out a shuddered breath and closed his eyes. “I’m scared. I’ve been so scared to have you, because now I can lose you, too. I don’t want to lose anymore.”

 

Mick pressed another kiss to his lips. “You won’t lose anything. Not me, not Michael. We’re here with you, protecting your heart until you can do it again yourself.”

 

Opening his eyes, Barry took a deep breath. He reached down and took Mick by the hand, hoping he seemed more confident than he felt. Barry stepped away from the counter and out of the kitchen, pulling Mick along behind him as he made his way up the stairs towards his room. 

 

Once they stepped inside and closed the door, Barry locked it behind them and leaned forward to press one quick yet sensual kiss to his lips. He pulled away again, his eyes never leaving Mick’s as he started to unbutton his shirt. 

 

Mick’s mouth hung open as Barry’s shirt fell to the floor, followed closely by his jeans and underwear.

 

Completely nude in front of him, Barry stepped into his space again to kiss his cheek. 

 

Mick nearly stopped breathing. It’d been a while since he’d been with someone, and even longer since it felt like this. In fact, he was almost positive he’d never slept with someone where it felt like this. 

 

Barry didn’t seem bothered by Mick’s nerves. He grabbed the bottom of his gray henley and stared at him, waiting for a sign that it was all okay. Mick, unwilling to stop any of it, nodded quickly and raised his hands to make it easier on Barry to peel his clothes off of him. He’d never been so happy that he went commando. The second his pants hit the floor, he started to kiss Barry again, pressing warm flesh to warm flesh. 

 

Barry kissed back, leading Mick towards the bed as they touched and kissed and sighed. Instead of falling together in a heap on the bed, Barry set a knee on the mattress, not even breaking the kiss as he moved to the center, dragging Mick right behind him. 

 

The pair knelt in the center of the bed for what felt like hours, kissing and caressing each other’s bodies slowly. It felt like they had all the time in the world. Mick sucked bruises on Barry’s neck. Barry ran his lips down Mick’s front, stopping at his cock to kitten lick and suck it a few times--just enough to get him hard and dripping. 

 

He pulled away for one second, grabbing a tube from the bedside drawer and setting it next to them. Lube, Mick thought, grabbing it and squeezing some on his fingers. 

 

Barry rested his head on Mick’s shoulder as he fingered him open, slowly and teasingly enough that Barry was groaning and begging into his neck by the time he reached three fingers. Barry brought their lips together a little rougher now, more like how it was in the kitchen, pushed against the counters, and Mick grabbed his hips to lower him slowly onto his hard, aching cock. 

 

Barry threw his head back, his eyes rolling back in pleasure. Mick was so thick, filled him up so well, it’d been so long…

 

He pulled Barry’s legs so they were hooked around his waist, making his cock go even deeper into the speedster, who made a choked sound between a gasp and a moan. Mick could see him letting go, giving in to the feeling of not being alone anymore. He reached down and took an asscheek in each hand, and started moving Barry up and down on him.

 

“Oh…” Barry gasped, grinding forward. His hands shot to Mick’s back, clutching hard at the skin as Mick continued moving into him. “Oh...oh Mick...ah…”

 

As much as Mick loved the noises he forced out of Barry, Michael was down the hall and didn’t need to be any more emotionally scarred. He brought his and Barry’s lips together again, smothering his sounds as they moved faster and faster against each other. 

 

Barry’s toes curled into his back. Mick arched into his body. It felt like they were going for hours, though neither got tired of just rocking together. Then, Barry started to rock even harder. A vibration shook up his body, and Mick knew the speedster was getting close. 

 

Mick flipped them so Barry was underneath him and started thrusting with all he had. Now, Barry’s nails were drawing blood from his back, but neither cared. 

 

“So close..,” Barry hissed. “So good...so good…”

 

Mick didn’t bother stroking Barry’s cock. Instead, he pushed a finger in beside his dick, making Barry arch off the bed wantonly. Mick added another and snapped his hips even harder into Barry. 

 

Finally, Mick saw absolute bliss fade onto his face as he came. Mick followed two thrusts later, a warmness spreading through his body along with...was it love? One look at Barry’s tired, blissed out face told him yes. That’s exactly what he was feeling. 

 


End file.
